The particular difficulty of exorcism accounts being overly available is that it would profit most of our souls absolutely nothing to know about them.

That all our hope, even in our most excruciating torments, must be placed in God in order to achieve victory over evil is really all most of us need to know on such matters. To focus on the truly good alleviates anxiety, dissipates fear, and strengthens hope. To focus on the evil usually does the opposite, sometimes with such subtlety that we don't even know it happens, and sometimes so overtly that we are seized with fear before we are ready to cope with it.

_________________During His trials Our Lord would not respond to the chief priests (Mt 14:61), or Herod (Lk 23:9) or Pilate (Jn 19:9). Words had failed. All that could penetrate those hardened hearts was the witness of divine love, the offering of His life to the Father. So also for us — when words fail the greatest way to “win” an argument is by acts of love. - Fr. Paul Scalia

The particular difficulty of exorcism accounts being overly available is that it would profit most of our souls absolutely nothing to know about them.

That all our hope, even in our most excruciating torments, must be placed in God in order to achieve victory over evil is really all most of us need to know on such matters. To focus on the truly good alleviates anxiety, dissipates fear, and strengthens hope. To focus on the evil usually does the opposite, sometimes with such subtlety that we don't even know it happens, and sometimes so overtly that we are seized with fear before we are ready to cope with it.

I have a very skeptical friend who's interested in the topic... I was curious if I could find some sources where he can see firsthand that these are not attempts of the Church to glam up the issue to give people the wrong reasons for pursuing the holy.

I'm afraid you'll be disappointed anyway.A real skeptic needs to see by his own eyes.There's always a chance that a written text is a lie.

I have a very skeptical friend who's interested in the topic... I was curious if I could find some sources where he can see firsthand that these are not attempts of the Church to glam up the issue to give people the wrong reasons for pursuing the holy.

I'm afraid you'll be disappointed anyway.A real skeptic needs to see by his own eyes.There's always a chance that a written text is a lie.

Then skeptics who cannot afford to travel don't believe that Wyoming or Rhode Island or Canada or China exist. They cannot believe that any person who lived before they were born existed or that anyone outside of where they live or have visited exist, that a kajillion things or places exist. What a sad, sad way to live!